The East Lansing Public Library is gearing up for its annual summer reading challenge. This year’s program will celebrate the library’s 100th anniversary with the theme “All Together Now."
The program is open to anyone with different challenges for different age groups like child, teen or adult readers.
Gillian Streeter, the library’s youth service librarian, says reading books, magazines and newspapers as well as listening to audiobooks can be counted.
“The purpose of the Summer Reading Club is to encourage people to read for just their daily interest, for fun, for engagement," she added.
One of the benefits of reading Streeter says is learning about other cultures, experiences and people.
"It's a chance to see a broader world or different perspectives that you might not otherwise have," she said. "It's a chance for you to explore in a way that is more accessible."
Anyone who participates and completes the program will be eligible for a prize, according to Streeter.
"Children will track the number of minutes they read through the summer, and the adult program, they track how many books they've completed," she said.
Participants can log their time spent reading online at the library's website or on a paper log.
The summer reading program begins June 5 with a celebration event.
"The great thing about our big kickoff is we will actually have performers coming to it. The Striped Circus is going to be doing a circus act for us," she said. "We will have an open house with many different folks from the scientific community in East Lansing."
Enrollment in the program begins Wednesday at the library’s website or in person.
